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Dispute over wind power: Citizens defend themselves against the wind lobby in MV!
The Ludwigslust-Parchim planning association decides on wind power areas and causes political disputes and citizen concerns.
Dispute over wind power: Citizens defend themselves against the wind lobby in MV!
The expansion of wind power in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania continues to cause heated discussions and controversial decisions. The planning association in western Mecklenburg decided today to designate only 1.4 percent of the total area of the districts of Ludwigslust-Parchim, Northwest Mecklenburg and the city of Schwerin as “wind suitability areas”, which is well below the required 2.1 percent. This decision has met with harsh criticism and reflects the critical attitude of many citizens towards the wind power project, both in rural and urban areas. The wind lobby, including the local supplier Wemag, is anything but happy. She is threatening legal action and claims for damages against the country, which could further inflame tempers.
Local wind power advocates believe the decision is a step backwards. The wind power association LEE MV even sees “dramatic consequences” facing us if the planning association’s plan is not reconsidered. Not only are investments worth billions at risk here, local authorities could also lose important income. The planning association, which wanted to create a differentiation between the interests of citizens and political guidelines, is therefore exposed to massive pressure. As nordkurier.de reports, the decision will only take effect after an examination by the legal supervision and the state parliament.
Citizen and wind lobby interests in view
To make matters even more complicated, planning law for wind turbines is no easy feat. Normally, resistance to planning associations' proposals is atypical, which further inflames the situation. It should come as no surprise to anyone that the association is now considering taking legal action against the decision. There is also a federal political issue behind the whole drama: by 2032, the country must designate at least 2.1 percent of its land area as wind-suitable areas. This requirement creates additional tension.
Another aspect that complicates the situation is the backlog of applications for building permits for wind turbines. According to Environment Minister Till Backhaus, there has been little progress in processing despite an increase in the number of employees in the responsible offices. An evaluation shows that although 88 procedures were approved for a total of 198 wind turbines in 2024, northeastern Germany is far behind compared to other federal states. While we set up 126 turbines with a total output of 671 megawatts in 2023, only one new wind turbine with a total output of 89.3 megawatts had been put into operation in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania by the end of September 2024. This is sobering and puts the state in last place in a country comparison.
Future challenges for wind power
With the backlog of applications of 291 procedures for 1,157 wind turbines, which are expected to take an average process time of three to four years, the question arises as to how quickly we can really make progress. Backhaus promised that procedures should be completed within six to ten months under optimal conditions. But reality shows a different side - some applicants have already complained and sued against the authorities' inaction. Even a new law affecting wind turbine night lighting adds another layer of complications.
In the municipality of Schildetal, for example, 15 wind turbines are planned, but residents are skeptical and expressed concerns at a citizens' meeting that should not be ignored. It remains to be seen how the situation will develop and whether the urgently needed space and investments can actually be realized, or whether the winds of change will once again linger.
The question arises: Will the current challenges and the differences of opinion between the various actors soon be a thing of the past, or will the topic of wind power continue to be a hot topic in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania? The coming months will be crucial in shaping the future of wind power in the state.
You can find more information and a detailed description of the wind power areas at freier-horizont.de and current developments on wind power expansion at ndr.de.